Bangladesh ruling party sweeps violent vote

Awami League's victory was never in doubt after opposition boycotted election, sparking wave of furious protests.

06 Jan 2014 07:01 GMT

The ruling Awami League has swept to an easy victory in Bangladesh's violence-plagued national election, but the result will do little to quell political tensions in the country.

The outcome of Sunday's vote was never in doubt after the opposition boycotted the contest, with 153 Awami League candidates or allies elected unopposed to the 300-seat parliament.

Of the seats that were in play, the Awami League picked up 105, while allied parties or independents won the rest, according to initial results.

But the deaths of 21 people in election-day violence, including attacks by opposition supporters on hundreds of polling stations, have underlined the country's polarisation.

The violence halted voting at about 400 polling stations, while police said they had been forced to fire on opposition activists several times.

The local Daily Star called it the bloodiest election in the country's history, describing the Awami League's win as "a hollow victory which gives it neither a mandate nor an ethical standing to govern effectively".

Low turnout

Voters in modest numbers cast ballots on Sunday amid heavy security, in an election shunned by international observers.